


Cal's Crossbow

by DemonPoxHerondale



Series: Positive-verse [3]
Category: The Dark Artifices Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Cal Blackthorn, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-12
Updated: 2018-06-12
Packaged: 2019-05-21 05:59:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14909678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemonPoxHerondale/pseuds/DemonPoxHerondale
Summary: This is a one-shot in the series "Positive-verse." Please read the other stories first, as they read chronologically. In this story, Alec brings Max and Rafael to babysit Cal while Emma and Julian go out. It does not go as planned.





	Cal's Crossbow

Alec panted as he burst through the portal, making a Herculean effort at keeping Max attached to his hip and holding Rafe’s hand with his free one. 

 

“I’m here!” He announced, then realized the LA institute’s foyer was currently empty. He took a second to catch his breath and set Max down. Then, he looked up to see Emma frantically rushing down the stairs and into the living room, clutching Cal tightly against her chest. Alec followed her in, Max and Rafe tagging along behind him. 

 

“JULIAN!” Emma screamed. “CODE RED! CODE RED!”

 

“Code red?” Alec asked, confused, but Emma was already climbing back up the stairs and leaving Cal on a brightly patterned baby blanket on the living room floor. Alec marveled at the fact that she had left her son in his care without even greeting him when Cal started to cry. Very, very loudly. As Alec started to pick him up to calm him down, Emma came flying back down the stairs, Julian in tow. Both were dressed formally, but the effect was made less impressive by the frenzy they were in.

 

In Emma’s hand was what appeared to be some sort of plush toy, which she placed in front of Cal as soon as she was close enough to do so. Immediately, he stopped crying. Alec looked closer at the toy that was now clutched in Cal’s hand.

 

“Is that. . . is that a crossbow?” Alec asked, surprised.

 

Julian laughed. “Yeah. I use a crossbow, and Diana found this plush one for Cal so he can match his daddy. It fires a tiny plush arrow when you pull here, and vibrates and makes sounds as it shoots.” Julian took the toy from his son’s hand to demonstrate, and Cal burst into tears.

 

“Julian!” Emma scolded, but Julian just pulled the trigger. An arrow shot out from the front, attached to a thin string about three feet long. It made a loud noise, and Cal stopped crying and smiled. Then the string retracted, pulling the arrow back inside. Julian handed the toy back to Cal, who laughed and pulled on the trigger again.

 

“Wow,” Alec remarked. “I never had such high tech toys when I was a baby. It’s a new age in Shadowhunting.”

 

“Oh, hi, Alec!” Emma laughed. “Sorry, we're kind of a mess, as you can see.”

 

“Nah, it’s okay. Hey, where is everyone else?”

 

“Mark, Cristina, and Diego are on patrol, and you know how it is with Arthur,” said Julian, giving a sad shrug. “Dru convinced Livvy, Ty, and Kit to take her to the movies with them, and Tavvy has a playdate with Cameron’s brother, Freddie. It’s pretty much an empty house.”

 

Alec nodded.

 

“Well, I guess we’d better get going. But I don’t wanna leave my little Cal-Cal!” exclaimed Emma. She dropped to her knees and pulled him onto her lap, tickling him until he laughed so hard Alec was starting to get concerned. Then, Emma pulled Cal closer to her chest, saying things that could only be described as baby-talk.

 

“Hey! He's my son too, you know,” Julian joked, then tried to take Cal from Emma’s arms. At first, he wasn't very successful, but then Emma gave up and handed her son to Julian. Julian held him up and spun him around, making him giggle, then hugged him tightly and kissed his forehead.

 

Alec sighed. “Uh, you guys? You realize you’re only going to be gone a few hours, right?”

 

Emma looked up. “Oh! Right. Sorry, we’re just not used to leaving him with other people. One of us is kinda with him 24/7.”

 

“All the more reason why you really need a break. Go. Have fun. Be nineteen. I know how to take care of babies.” Alec ruffled Max’s hair, and Max made a face.

 

“I’m not a baby!” he complained, and pulled away from his father’s touch.

 

“I know you’re not. But you used to be tiny like Cal. Even smaller, when we first got you.”

 

“Like this big?” Max asked and put his hand six inches above the floor. Alec laughed aloud.

 

“Oh, no. You were a little bit bigger. But Auntie Emma and Uncle Julian have to go now. Say, goodbye, Max!” He took his son’s hand and made him wave, and Emma and Julian laughed. “Rafe? You too, buddy. Come on, be nice.” 

 

“No quiero ser simpático! Papá es antipático.”

 

“Rafe! What's the one rule in the Lightwood-Bane household?” Alec said sternly.

 

“No moping. . .” Rafe replied in a small voice. “But Papa took away my iPad!”

 

“Not your iPad. The family’s iPad. Papa took it away because you were being mean to Max and not sharing with him. That was hours ago, Rafe. No moping.”

 

“ _ Fine, _ ” Rafe grumbled. “Bye!” He waved at Emma and Julian. After waving back, they turned away. 

 

“Mama!” Cal called out, finally looking up from his plush crossbow. Emma turned around and wiggled her fingers at him.

 

“Bye, Cal-Cal! Can you do bye-bye for  Mommy ?”

 

Cal proceeded to clap his fisted palms together.

 

“No, Cal. Bye-bye! Wave bye-bye to  Mommy !”

 

Cal clapped again. 

 

Finally, Julian turned to Emma and grabbed her arm. “Emma, we really need to go. We have a reservation at the restaurant in 20 minutes. We need to leave. Now.” Then, he dragged her out the door, still waving at Cal, whose interest had returned to his favorite toy.

 

“Well!” Alec said, turning to face the group. “We’re gonna have a fun night.”

 

Max walked over and sat down next to Cal. “Hi!” he exclaimed. “I’m Max! Can you say Max?” 

 

“Ma--Mama!”

 

“No, Max!”

 

“Mama!”

 

“Max!”

 

“Mama!”

 

“Max!” Max jumped up angrily, and turned to Alec. “Daddy! He’s being mean!”

 

Alec scooped Max up. “No, Maxie. He can’t talk very well yet. Your name is too hard for him.” Max scrunched up his face, looking sad. Meanwhile, Rafe made his way over to Cal and knelt down.

 

“How about Rafe? Can you say Rafe?”

 

“Ra-ra!” Cal giggled, and Rafael looked very pleased with himself.

 

“Not fair!” Max shrieked. He wiggled out of Alec’s arms and stomped over to Cal. “Say Max!” he demanded of the baby. “M-ah-x.”

 

“M-ah.”

 

“M-ah- _ x _ ,” Max prompted.

 

Cal scrunched his eyebrows together and didn’t say anything.

 

“Say Max!” Max yelled again, yanking on Cal’s arm in frustration. “Max!”

 

“Woah!” Alec yelped as Cal burst into a fresh round of tears. He pulled Max back, not seeming to notice that Cal’s toy had fallen from his grip and was now laying on the floor. “Max, stop it. He’s a baby. He can’t say your name, but it isn’t his fault.”

 

“But he said Rafe’s name!” Max said, his lower lip trembling.

 

“I know, honey. The ‘R’ sound is easier than the ‘X’ sound for babies. In a few months he’ll be able to say your name.”

 

“But I want him to say it  _ now, _ ” Max whined, and a few tears spilled out of his eyes. Alec groaned inwardly. Then, the sound of Cal wailing finally registered, and he looked over to see big fat tears streaming down his face. Alec picked Cal up, simultaneously rocking the baby and searching for the plush crossbow, now missing. 

 

The rocking didn’t seem to be having any effect on the steady flow of tears. Alec’s gaze swept the floor and the surrounding area until it finally landed on Rafe. Alec carried the still screaming Cal over to his son, who was perched on the edge of the couch, turning the crossbow over in his hands.

 

“Rafael?” Alec said.

 

“Sí?” He asked innocently, looking up from the couch at Alec.

 

“I’ve been looking for that. Did you notice that Cal is screaming his head off? He wants his toy.”

 

“Oh,” Rafe said. He stood up and offered the toy to Cal, whose cries stopped at once. Alec let out a sigh.

 

Crisis averted.

 

Alec sank down onto the couch, bouncing Cal on his lap. Cal giggled.

 

“Can we play with him?” Rafe asked.

 

“Yes, but you have to be careful,” Alec said. “He’s a baby and can get hurt very easily.” Alec placed Cal back on the baby blanket. Rafe and Max plopped down on either side of him. Rafe sat Cal up and pulled him onto his lap. Cal wiggled out of his grip and back onto the floor. Rafe looked back at Alec, looking upset.

 

“It’s okay,” Alec rushed to say before Rafe could get mad. “He just doesn’t want to be held right now. It doesn’t mean he dislikes you.”

 

“Okay,” Rafe said, settling back onto the carpet.

 

“Cal, I like your bow,” Max said. “Can you show me how to shoot it?” Alec smiled. This was Max’s first time being around someone younger than himself, and although it had gotten off to a rough start, Max seemed to be doing better.

 

“Bow!” Cal said delightedly, waving one hand at the toy. Then, he gripped it in one fist and pulled the trigger with the other. The arrow shot out into Max’s stomach, who promptly shrieked in pain. Alec jumped to his feet.

 

“Max! What’s wrong?” He rushed to scoop his son into his arms. Max was crying, his face streaked with tears. Alec pulled up his shirt to examine his stomach. There was a small red mark in the middle. “That was a plush arrow, Maxie. It shouldn’t have hurt like that. I don’t know what happened.” He was interrupted by another cry of pain, this time Rafe’s. Alec dropped down to his knees next to the kids. Rafael had a hand covering a spot on his other arm. Alec put Max down and gently pried Rafe’s hand away. There was a red mark on his arm as well. 

 

Cal was giggling, waving his crossbow in the air. He pulled the trigger again, and this time the arrow flew out and hit Alec squarely in the forehead.

 

“Ow!” Alec fell backwards in surprise. He quickly sat back up, rubbing his forehead. He reached for Cal’s toy, but Cal pulled it back and shot Alec in the hand. The arrows were retracting quicker than usual, and Cal shot again almost immediately, the arrow hitting Max’s chest and then Rafe’s leg. They were both crying.

 

“Rafe, Max, get behind the couch and-- _ Ow! _ ” He stopped as Cal repeatedly shot him in the side, giggling hysterically.

 

“Give me that!” Alec said, grabbing for the toy and receiving another hit to the hand. Alec made a grab with his other hand, successfully commandeering the toy, but not before Cal had the chance to make one last shot. The arrow shot over Alec’s head, the string stretching impossibly long. There was a loud crash and the sound of Rafe and Max crying out. Alec whirled around, jumping to his feet and bounding over to the couch as Rafe and Max stumbled out from behind it. They ran to Alec, sobbing. 

 

There was blood. Cal’s arrow had shattered a glass  _ something _ on the mantel over the fireplace, and the broken shards had rained down on the boys. Alec couldn’t discern from his glance at the wreckage what the item had been. A piece of glass was sticking out of Max’s shoulder, and Alec assumed there were more, smaller pieces on both boys. 

 

It wasn’t like the sight of blood was foreign to Alec, but seeing his little boys covered in it and whimpering in pain was new to him. It was something he wished he could always protect them from, but he knew that Rafe was a Shadowhunter and Max a warlock. They would be wounded many times. But for now, they were Alec’s babies, and he wanted to tear down anything that dared to hurt them. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much he could do to broken glass, and he couldn’t blame Cal.

 

Sensing the distress of his companions, Cal had begun to cry as well, dropping the crossbow. Alec took a breath to compose himself and jumped to action. He sat his kids down on the couch, put the crossbow on the mantel where none of the kids could reach it, scooped Cal up, and ran upstairs. Cal was screaming yet unharmed, and Alec set him down in a baby carrier that he found in the hallway. He carried the baby to the infirmary, where he grabbed bandages, tweezers, and other assorted medical supplies. Then he rushed back downstairs to his kids. He put Cal, still shrieking, on the floor. He would have to wait a little longer.

 

Rafe still hadn’t gotten his first rune yet, so Alec had to use mundane healing instead of an iratze. Even so, Shadowhunters heal fast. Alec pulled the big shard of glass from Max’s shoulder and Max whimpered, more tears spilling out from the corners of his eyes. Alec quickly pressed a bandage to the spot as more blood spilled out. He was vaguely aware that he was getting blood all over the Blackthorns’ sofa and carpet, but he assumed it wasn’t the first time.

 

Alec did his best to keep Max and Rafe calm as he wiped up the blood, pulled out glass shards, and bandaged their wounds, but it was difficult as Cal was still screaming his little head off.

 

Once he had finished tending to their wounds, Alec kissed them each on the forehead and turned to Cal. He bounced the baby up and down, hoping he would quiet down without the toy. Alec even tried to tickle him, but he just screamed louder. Max stood up and walked over, looking up at Cal, who reached down toward him. Alec crouched so they were at the same level. Cal stretched his fingers out and touched Max’s shoulder. It g lowed blue-green, and Max’s eyes widened in surprise.

 

“Daddy, it doesn’t hurt anymore!” Alec lifted the corner of the bandage to inspect the wound, and where there had previously been a jagged gash, there was now only a thin white line, standing out starkly against Max’s navy blue skin. Cal stopped crying and gurgled happily.

 

“Wow, Cal! Let’s try that again.” Alec touched Cal’s hand to another bandage on Max’s wrist, but nothing happened. After a couple more tries, Alec gave up.

 

“How about we get you a bottle?” Alec said, holding Cal against his shoulder and heading into the kitchen. “All that crying and healing must have made you hungry!” Max and Rafe trailed along behind their father.

 

In the kitchen, Alec fixed Cal a bottle and then offered it to the baby, who opened his mouth cooperatively. He sucked at the bottle eagerly. Alec sank gratefully onto a chair.

 

“Daddy? We’re hungry too,” Rafe said.

 

“Let me finish feeding Cal, and then I’ll get you guys a snack. Okay?” The boys nodded and sat down. Cal drank the rest of his bottle and then burped and yawned. “I think someone needs a nap,” Alec said. He took the baby back to the living room and put him back in his carrier. Alec gently rocked him until he fell asleep.

 

Alec let out a sigh and turned back to his sons. “Okay, guys. Snacktime.”

 

A few minutes later, after Alec had the kids set up with their Rainbow Goldfish, he went back to the living room to figure out why the crossbow had been so dangerous and caused so much damage. It was, after all, just a plush toy. Something didn’t add up. Alec sat cross-legged on the floor, gently picking up the instrument of destruction and inspecting it. He looked closely at the arrow, and noticed that it was not plush anymore. It was plastic, and it was sharp. Not plush at all. Cal must have magicked it into dangerousness. 

 

Alec walked behind the couch to see what had been shattered by the arrow and injured his children. It appeared to be an award of some sorts, and, remembering what it had looked like unshattered, he realized it looked a little familiar. A pit of dread began to grow in his stomach. As he picked up the pieces and put them together, he saw that the lettering on the glass spelled out the last thing Alec wanted to see:

 

**_Shadowhunter of the Year Award_ **

**_Presented to_ **

 

**_Emma Carstairs_ **

 

**_for excelle_ ** **_nce in practical skills and sword fighting_ **

 

Alec groaned and covered his face with his hands. Probably the biggest accomplishment in Emma’s lifetime, and her son had destroyed the only thing to show for it on his watch. He remembered attending the ceremony, watching Jace present the same award he had won only a couple years ago to Emma. Alec turned to look at Cal, still sleeping peacefully in his carrier.

 

“Why that, Cal?” Alec muttered to himself. “There were so many random decorative vases you could have hit instead. Why this?” Needless to say, Cal didn’t respond. With another sigh, Alec went to go find a broom to clean up the shards of Emma’s award. He located one in the kitchen pantry, and swept the glass into a plastic bag. He couldn’t just throw away Emma’s precious accomplishment.

 

Next Alec figured he should at least attempt to get the blood out of the carpet and sofa. Luckily, as an experienced Shadowhunter, he had cleaned up blood many times before. And as an experienced father, he was used to cleaning juice out of the rug. After a few minutes of scrubbing, the carpet and sofa looked like nothing had happened.

 

Alec had been sitting for ten minutes, finally calmed down, when Ty, Livvy, Kit, and Dru returned, chattering about the movie they had just seen. Something about Fantastic Beasts and a guy named Newt.  _ Fantasy movies these days, _ Alec thought. The four of them went upstairs without even acknowledging Alec, and he wondered if he should check to make sure they weren’t doing anything illegal. He decided he trusted them enough. After all, they had been out alone for the past three hours.

 

Soon after, Cristina, Diego, and Mark returned from patrol.

 

“Anything interesting today?” Alec asked them. Diego shrugged.

 

“Pretty boring, actually. We literally just sat on a roof for hours,” he said.

 

“You’ll be wishing for boring patrol days when you’re fighting a moloch demon.”

 

“Yeah. But at least that's something to do.”

 

“Enjoy the peace while you can,” Alec advised.

 

“So, how'd babysitting go?” Cristina asked as Max and Rafael wandered into the room.

 

“Well. . .” Alec began, and trailed off as Cristina scooped up Rafe and started speaking to him in rapid fire Spanish. Rafe giggled and responded, and Cristina carried him away up the stairs, Diego following behind her.

 

Alec turned back to Mark. “She just stole my child.” Mark laughed. Then he cut off abruptly and turned pale.

 

“CRISTINA!” he screamed up the stairs. “WE FORGOT TAVVY!”

 

Cristina came barreling back down the stairs, yelling in Spanish. Alec didn't know what she was saying, but he guessed it was probably a curse.

 

“You guys were supposed to pick up Tavvy?” Alec asked.

 

“Yes!” Mark said. He ran back outside, followed by Cristina and Diego, who had just come downstairs behind Cristina. The door slammed shut behind them.

 

Alec looked down at Max, who looked very confused. “Let's go find your brother,” Alec said, scooping Max into his arms. 

 

Cal chose that moment to wake up and start screaming again. Alec supposed that he couldn't blame him,  since Mark, Cristina, and Diego had caused quite the commotion. Alec put Max down and picked Cal up instead.

 

“Rafe?” he called, glancing up the stairs. Rafael was leaning against the banister at the top. “Come on down, buddy,” Alec said. Rafe ran down the staircase and over to Max.

 

Alec turned his attention back to the baby, bouncing him and rocking him to no avail.

 

“Why won't he stop screaming?” Max asked, and Alec had to hold in a laugh. He bit his tongue to stop from telling Max that he used to (and still sometimes did) cry just like Cal. Somehow Alec didn't think Max would appreciate that.

 

Eventually, after nearly ten minutes of trying to calm the screaming baby, Cal’s tears began to subside. At that point, the front door opened and Emma and Julian stumbled through the door, arms around each other, kissing frantically. They were clearly drunk, as Julian’s words were slightly slurred. As they made their way towards the stairs, Alec cleared his throat.

 

“I, um, hate to break this lovefest up, but, er, there’s kids in the room. Namely, your son.” Emma unlatched herself from Julian.

 

“Oh. Right.” She stepped toward Alec and Cal, and Julian followed. Their steps were slow and careful, but they seemed to become more sober with each one. Cal saw his mother, and he reached his arms towards her. Emma smiled.

 

“Hi, Cal! Mommy’s back! Did you miss me?” 

 

“Mama!” Cal squealed, and Emma took him from Alec.

 

“Were you a lot of trouble to Alec? I’m sure you weren’t. You’re a good boy, right? Yes you are! Yes you are!” She spun him around and pulled him closer to her chest. “I know I missed you!” she stage-whispered to him. Alec laughed. She turned to him.

 

“He wasn’t too much trouble, was he?”

 

“Uh, about that…” Alec trailed off. “You see, he, um, may or may not have broken your Shadowhunter of the Year award.” Emma gasped.

 

“Cal! Why would you do that to  Mommy ?” And then, to Alec, “How did that even happen? We had it as high up as we could so he wouldn’t break it!”

 

Alec took a deep breath, then explained everything that had happened that night.

 

“So that’s why your kids are bandaged up,” Julian said when Alec was done.

 

“Yep.”

 

“We’re terribly sorry about that. I think it’s about time we got this little guy some magic training. We’ll see to that when we’re less intoxicated. Do you think Magnus would be willing to help?”

 

“I don’t think he would mind at all. I’ll talk to him about it.”

 

“Great. Thanks. Is everyone home? They should be.”

 

“Dru, Livvy, Ty, and Kit are back. Cristina, Diego, and Mark came back from patrol, but they forgot to pick Tavvy up on the way, so they went back to get him.”

 

“Seriously? I’ll have to have a conversation with those three when they get back.”

 

“Sounds good to me,” Alec said, and took Cal from Emma’s arms. He pushed her towards Julian. “Go upstairs. Be teenagers. I’ll stay with Cal until Cristina, Diego, and Mark are back.” 

 

Emma sighed. “Thanks, Alec. I really appreciate this. I owe you one.” Then, she took Julian’s arm and pulled him upstairs with her. He said something in her ear, and she giggled.

 

Alec sat on the floor next to Max, setting Cal down in front of him, waiting for Cristina, Mark, and Diego to return.


End file.
